Wrench



July 21, 1925.

W. H. GOLDING u WRENCH Filed Feb. 28 1924 jaldizgg,

- Clem "a Patented J uly 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT "OFFICE.

. wnmvent.

Application filed February 28, 1924. Serial n 695,770.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. GOLDING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merrick, County of Nassau, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wrenches, hav

1 ing for an object to provide means of an i1nproved nature for permitting adjustment of the sliding jaw relative to the fixed jaw and maintaining the same firmly in adjusted positions. i

A further object of the invention is to pro- 'vide a wrench of that character wherein a sliding jaw is employed movable toward and away from the fixed jaw, and wherein means are provided for slmultaneously locking the jaw against movement away from the fixed head and at the same time forcing the movable'jaw into clamping en-" gagement with the object to be gripped.

Still further and particular objects are to provide a wrench of the type and for the purposes stated which is ofextremely simple construction which is composed of but few simple and inexpensive parts all capable of beingeasily and quickly assembled, which has its parts so constructed and arranged as to minimize the opportunity for wear,

breakage and derangement, which is positive and quick in action, which iscapable of be ing marketed at low cost, and which will prove highly effective in use.

Viththese and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wrench constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the parts in the position they will assume when the movable jaw is in locked or fixed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, parts broken away, and illustrating the parts as they will appear when the slidingjaw is. free for movement; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon line 3 -3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, 4; indicates the shank of a familiar type of wrench with which the present invention is associated, and this shank is pro- .screwmeinber or'it may be a vided one endwith the fixed or immovable head 5 andterminates at its opposite end. 1n a hand grip portion 6. This shank 1s stralght throughout its length, and is of substant ally rectangular shape 'in cross-section, being channeled longitudinally asat 7 upon its opposing faces to provide a keyor guide groove for the ecting members or keys 8 of the sliding head or jaw 9. The head or jaw 9 encloses the shank 4 so as to be slidable thereon toward or away from the fixed head 5 and is limited in its outward sliding movement by means of a pin 10 passed through the shank at a proper point. This head may be a j pin of an other type tightly fitted in the shank.

The forward face of the sliding jaw 9 is cut away so as to provide a recess 11 communicating with the forward edge or face of the shank 4:, and in this recess is arranged a gripping member indicated at 12. This member is preferably of slightly less length than the length of the recessll, and is provided at its base with a fiat'face 13 to rest upon the corresponding face of. the jaw 9 at the lower, end of recess 11. The member 12 has its lateral edges inclined inwardly slightly toward its outer end, and these inclined faces are provided with teeth 14. The outer extremity of the grip member is rounded in a substantially cam shape as at 15, for a purpose to be hereafter stated. The adjacent forward face of the shank 4 is provided with a series of teeth indicated at 16, to begripped and interlocked with the teeth 14 of the gripping member 12.

The gripping member 12 is provided inwardly from its ends with a transverse opening to receive a pin 17 the latter being held between arms 18 at the outer end of an operating handle or lever 19; The arms 18 straddle the slidable jaw 9, and washers 20 may be interposed between the inner faces of these arms and the next adjacent faces of the gripping member 12, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 3.

The lever 19 at substantially the juncture of the arms 18 with the body portion thereof, is provided with a tooth, projection or detent indicated at 21, and which is adapted to engage with teeth 22 upon the rear face of the shank 4.

The lever 19 is shaped so as to be conveniently gripped by the hand of the operinwardly proator of the wrench, and is normally held in outward position by a spring 23 secured at one end to the lever and resting at its opposite end against the hand grip portion 6 of the shank.

The lever has its detent 21 and gripping member or head 12 so associated thereon that normally, that is, when the lever is ex tended by means of the spring 23, the gripping member 12 will be moved out of engagement with the teeth 16 on the forward face of the shank 1, while the detent 21 is out of engagement with the teeth 22 on the rear face thereof. At this time, the detent 21 will be engaged with the rear portion of the sliding aw member 9 and seated within a suitable recess, opening or bevel portion 24 formed in the said rear portion of the sliding aw. With the parts thus normally positioned, it is evident that free sliding movement of jaw 9 is permitted without interference in any way with the teeth 16-22 of the shank. It is when the parts are so positioned that adjustments of the jaw 9 are made, and when the proper adjustment has been determined, the operator moves the lever 19 inwardly toward the hand grip 6. This action causes the detent 21 to move out of its position upon the rear face of jaw 9 and into engagement with the next adjacent tooth 22, upon which the detent fulcrums. Further movement of lever 19 then causes the head member 12 to move inwardly toward the forward face of shank l, and, due to the particular inclination of the adjacent face of the gripping member, the lowermost tooth or teeth thereof will first engage with the adjacent shank teeth. This operates to maintain the shank against any outward sliding movement, and further depression of the lever 19 eventually causes all of the teeth 14; of the gripping member to engage with the next adjacent teeth of the shank and at the same time the outer rounded or cam end of the gripping member moves into engagement with the next adjacent surface of the recess 11 of the jaw. This engagement of the gripping member with the jaw causes the latter to exert a slight pressure inwardly upon the article being gripped, whereupon a tight and firm connection between the wrench and the gripping member is assured, and danger of slippage of the tool upon the work is thus avoided. The degree of this additional gripping action of head 9 may be governed accurately by causing the detent 21 to engage within aproper or desired tooth 22 upon the rear edge of shank 4. For instance, itis apparent that with the detent 21 engaged in the space between the teeth next adjacent thereto (Fig. 2) inward pressure upon lever 19 will cause the jaw 9 to receive a relatively greater degree of outward or gripping movement than would be experienced were the detent 21 to be engaged in the next adjacent tooth to the one above specified.

By providing both the opposing inclined faces of the gripper member 12 with teeth, in the event that the teeth of one side become worn it is but necessary to remove the head and invert it, so that the teeth formerly upon the outer surface are positioned so as to cooperate with the teeth of the wrench shank.

It is apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a wrench capable of carr ing forth the several objects in a most expeditious way, and the operation and adjustment of which is at once apparent to all. The simplicity of the construction of the wrench is such that while a great degree of gripping pressure is obtained, danger of wear, breakage or derangement of any of the movable parts of the wrench is minimized.

While the above is a disclosure of the invention in its preferred form, it is apparent that the same may be susceptible to changes or variations in the minor details of construction, arrangement and assem blage of parts, and it is to be understood that I reserve to myself the right to make such alterations as may be deemed necessary or practicable without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a wrench, a shank, a jaw member slidable upon said shank, a lever associated with said jaw member, gripper members wholly detached from said aw arranged in spaced relation upon said lever and adapted when the lever is moved in one direction to engage simultaneously with opposing faces of said shank, and one of said members being movable laterally and independently of said aw member.

2. In a wrench, a shank, teeth upon opposing faces of said shank, a jaw member slidable upon said shank, a gripper member associated with said jaw and movable laterally of the same, a lever connected at one end to said gripper member, and a detent on said lever removed from said gripper member and adapted to be moved into or out of contact with the teeth of said shank.

3. In a wrench, a shank, teeth upon the opposing faces of said shank, a jaw member slidable upon said shank and having a recess in its forward face communicating with the teeth of the corresponding portion of said shank, a gripper member arranged in said recess, teeth on said member to engage with the teeth of said shank, a lever, arms at one end of said lever straddling said aw and pivoted to said gripper member, and a detent on said lever removed jaw slidable upon said shank and having.

from said gripper member and adapted to engage with the next adjacent teeth of said shank.

4:. In a Wrench, a shank, teeth upon the forward and rear edges of said shank, a

a recess in the forward face thereof exposing the teeth of the corresponding edge of the shank, a, gripper member having teeth thereon arranged in said recess, a lever, arms at one end of said lever straddling said shank and said jaw and pivot- WILLIAM H. GOLDING. 

